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Branksome Hall News

Junior School Action

Over $18,000—that’s how much Junior School students have raised this school year for charities and causes around the world.
The unbelievable amount raised is thanks to the amazing imagination and generosity of students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 who are passionate about supporting the greater community. “One of the things the Junior School is really good at is giving back to our community,” says Gemma, a Grade 6 student.

The school year kicked off with the Terry Fox Run in September, raising over $14,000 for cancer research. A few weeks later, in anticipation of Gloria Steinem’s visit to our school, Grade 6 students created and sold “Girl Strong” buttons. The buttons showed inspiring quotes from powerful women including Hillary Clinton, Maya Angelou and Malala Yousafzai. Over $2,600 was raised for The Equality Effect’s 160 Girls Justice Club in Kenya, which advances the rights of girls and women.

Over Halloween, collection bins for the We Scare Hunger food drive overflowed with canned goods. Students collected a staggering 1,630 pounds worth of food for the Daily Bread Food Bank.

“This is a new record for Branksome’s Junior School,” says faculty member Kristin Buchanan, who leads the Action initiatives. “Grade 6 Action Leaders took on the role of counting cans and packing food boxes—it was an enormous collective effort.”

The holiday season in the Junior School proved the adage “it’s better to give than to receive,” as piles of gifts filled the hallways. Nine families from Rose Avenue Public School, many of whom are new immigrants to Canada, were given holiday hampers full of items on their wish lists, including clothing and home goods.

The Holiday Bazaar was another huge Action success, raising over $1,800 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Students created homemade crafts to sell at the bazaar, such as pet rocks, slime and jewellery.

And, there is more activity in the Junior School as practice is underway for the Junior School variety show “From the Heart,” in support of Sick Kids Hospital. Students are working hard on their routines, which they’ll showcase on February 14.

Congratulations to the Junior School students on taking Action—your commitment, creativity and energy is remarkable. Thank you to all students and families for their generous donations!
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledge this land on which Branksome operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and go to school on this land.

Setting the new standard for girls' education everywhere takes collective action. From all of us.
 
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